# Podchaser Podcast, Episode & Creator Scraper (`parseforge/podchaser-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes Podchaser podcasts, episodes, or creator profiles by search query or direct URL. Each row returns the title, description, rating, host and guest names, social links, and optional Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart positions.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/podchaser-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 39 total users, 2 monthly users, 90.6% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $6.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### Podchaser Podcast, Episode & Creator Scraper

**Scrape Podchaser podcasts, episodes, and creator profiles by search query or direct URL, up to a million per run.** Each result returns its title, description, ratings, host and guest names, social links, and optional Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart positions. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

Podchaser is the IMDb of podcasting, but manually copying show details, host contacts, and chart rankings across hundreds of shows is slow. This Actor reads Podchaser's public search and podcast pages directly, returning structured podcast, episode, or creator data without needing an API key. You control the search keyword, result type, and how many items to collect, and you can optionally attach current chart positions from Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

| Who uses it | What they scrape Podchaser for |
|---|---|
| Podcast producers | Find shows in a niche to pitch their guests for appearances. |
| Media researchers | Map the podcast landscape around a topic, brand, or public figure. |
| Marketing agencies | Build a list of podcasts by category and audience size for sponsorship campaigns. |
| Journalists | Track which podcasts a person has appeared on as a guest or host. |

### What it does

This Actor collects Podchaser podcasts, episodes, or creator profiles by search query or direct URL and returns each result as a flat row with its title, description, ratings, host and guest names, social links, and optional chart positions.

- 🔍 **Search by keyword:** enter any term, show name, or person and choose whether to return matching podcasts, episodes, or creators.
- 📊 **Optional chart positions:** enable to attach each podcast's current Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart rank for a chosen country.
- 🔗 **Direct URL or ID lookup:** skip search and scrape specific podcasts by their Podchaser URL, slug, or numeric ID.
- 🌐 **Country-specific charts:** supply any ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (us, gb, de, fr, br, mx, jp, au, ca, es) to pull local chart data.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with Podchaser data

**🎯 Build a guest outreach list.**

A podcast producer searches Podchaser for shows in the 'entrepreneurship' category, collects 200 podcasts with their host names and social links, and filters by rating to prioritize high-quality shows for guest pitches.

**📈 Monitor chart movements.**

A music label runs the Actor weekly on a fixed list of podcast IDs with chart positions enabled for the 'us' market, tracking which shows rise or fall on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

**👤 Map a guest's media footprint.**

A publicist searches Podchaser for a client's name as a creator, collects every episode appearance with dates and show titles, and builds a press kit of recent media coverage.

**📋 Audit a podcast network.**

A network manager feeds a list of show URLs into the Actor, collects each podcast's description, episode count, rating, and social links, and audits the network's metadata consistency in one spreadsheet.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **Podcast discovery** | Search by topic, category, or name and get back a structured list of shows with descriptions and ratings. |
| **Creator profiles** | Pull host and guest names, social links, and appearance history from creator search results. |
| **Chart rankings** | Attach current Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart positions per country to each podcast row. |
| **Bulk export** | Collect up to a million results in one run and export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML. |

### How it compares

This Actor focuses on fast, high-volume search and direct lookup with optional chart positions, while the other Podchaser scrapers emphasize contact emails or product-level details.

| Feature | ParseForge | Podchaser Podcast Scraper - Contacts, Ratings & Audience Data | Podchase Product Info Scraper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search by keyword | Yes, with type selector | Yes | Not listed |
| Direct URL or ID lookup | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Apple Podcasts chart positions | Yes, per country | Not listed | Not listed |
| Spotify chart positions | Yes, per country | Not listed | Not listed |
| Creator (host/guest) search | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Up to 1,000,000 results per run | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from a search query, a list of direct podcast URLs, or numeric podcast IDs, alone or together, and set a maximum item count so only the number you need reaches your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.0065 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.65 |
| 1,000 results | $6.50 |
| 10,000 results | $65.00 |

**Optional chart positions:** with `includeChartPositions` on, each podcast that comes back with a chart rank adds a `chart-positions` event at **$0.005** ($5 per 1,000). Leave it off and you pay only the per-result price above.

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [Podchaser Podcast, Episode & Creator Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/podchaser-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to Podchaser through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/podchaser-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results for my search query?**

Check that your search type (podcasts, episodes, or creators) matches what you are looking for. A creator name searched as a 'podcast' type will return no results. Also try a broader keyword.

**Why are chart positions missing from my results?**

Make sure the 'Include Chart Positions' checkbox is enabled in your input. If it is on and positions are still missing, the podcast may not currently rank in the top charts for the country code you selected.

**The run is taking too long with chart positions enabled.**

Chart positions require building an index from Apple and Spotify before scraping begins, which adds overhead. If speed is critical, disable chart positions or reduce the number of podcasts.

**I passed a podcast URL but the Actor says it is invalid.**

Use the full Podchaser URL (e.g., https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-joe-rogan-experience-10829) or the numeric ID in the 'Podcast IDs' field. A partial slug without the ID may not resolve.

**My export has fewer rows than the maxItems I set.**

The Actor stops when Podchaser has no more results for your query. If you searched for a niche term, there may be fewer matching items than your requested maximum.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a Podchaser API key or login? | No. This Actor reads Podchaser's public web pages directly. You do not need an account, an API key, or any authentication. |
| What is the difference between podcast, episode, and creator search? | Podcast search returns shows matching your keyword. Episode search returns individual episodes. Creator search returns people (hosts and guests) with their profiles and appearance lists. |
| How do I get chart positions for a podcast? | Enable the 'Include Chart Positions' checkbox in the input and set a two-letter country code like 'us' or 'gb'. The Actor will attach the current Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart ranks to each podcast result. |
| Can I scrape a specific podcast I already know the ID for? | Yes. Use the 'Podcast IDs' field to pass one or more numeric Podchaser IDs, or use the 'Podchaser URLs' field to pass full URLs or slugs. The Actor will skip search and scrape those shows directly. |
| How many results can I get in one run? | You can set the maximum up to 1,000,000 items. The actual number returned depends on how many results Podchaser has for your query. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export your dataset to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML from the Apify platform after the run completes. |
| Does this Actor get podcast contact emails? | It collects the social links and website URLs that Podchaser displays publicly. Podchaser does not always show direct email addresses on public pages. |
| Can I filter by podcast category or rating? | Podchaser's search already ranks results by relevance. The Actor collects the category and rating fields for each result, so you can filter them in your exported spreadsheet or database. |
| How long does a run take? | A typical search for 10 podcasts takes under 30 seconds. Enabling chart positions adds a few seconds per result while the chart index loads. Large runs scale linearly with the number of items requested. |
| What country codes are supported for charts? | Any ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code works. Common ones include us, gb, de, fr, br, mx, jp, au, ca, and es. The default is 'us'. |
| Can I combine search and direct URL lookup in one run? | Yes. You can fill in a search query and also provide start URLs or podcast IDs. The Actor will process all of them in a single run. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Podchaser, Inc. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Search Podchaser by keyword (e.g. 'Joe Rogan', 'true crime', 'Almut Starke'). Returns matching podcasts, episodes, or creators with full data.

## `searchType` (type: `string`):

What to search for. Each result type returns its own set of fields.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many podcasts to collect per run.

## `includeChartPositions` (type: `boolean`):

Attach Apple Podcasts and Spotify chart positions to each podcast result. Adds ~5-10 seconds of overhead while the chart index is built.

## `chartCountry` (type: `string`):

Two-letter country code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2) for chart positions. Defaults to 'us'. Common values: us, gb, de, fr, br, mx, jp, au, ca, es.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

Optional: list of Podchaser podcast URLs to scrape directly (skips search). Each item can be a full URL or just a slug.

## `podcastIds` (type: `array`):

Optional: list of numeric Podchaser podcast IDs (e.g. 10829). Useful when you have IDs but not full URLs.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
  "searchType": "podcasts",
  "maxItems": 10,
  "includeChartPositions": false,
  "chartCountry": "us"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Dataset with all scraped items

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/podchaser-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/podchaser-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "Joe Rogan",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/podchaser-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/podchaser-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/yii2mPEsV7IDWC3zG/builds/Oh342LhNrWNqi6WPy/openapi.json